


Bring It In

by garbagecannot



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-06
Updated: 2016-05-06
Packaged: 2018-06-06 17:45:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,044
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6763894
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/garbagecannot/pseuds/garbagecannot
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ennoshita Chikara gets lost, doesn't ask for directions, and the coffee shop guy is laughing at him. Just another day, he supposed.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bring It In

**Author's Note:**

> celebrating 6/5 (ennotana day) by myself by writing a coffee shop au for it  
> here you go, take this as an offering from me to you

Sometimes Ennoshita Chikara hated that he was a bit of a stubborn asshole who wouldn't ask for directions. He was clearly lost - one could say hopelessly - and he had rattled off some excuse to Daichi that he was stuck in traffic, but the reality was, he had been walking in circles for the past half hour and had no idea where he currently stood.

Okay, well, he had sort of an idea.

Because he was pretty sure he'd passed this coffee shop on the corner at least three times. In fact, the barista was waving to him through the window now, grinning widely. Knowingly.  

Damn. He was lost, and this total stranger was well aware of it. Chikara glared at him, just because he could, and was miffed to see the other start laughing.

A chime from his phone redirected his gaze, and Chikara hurriedly sent an 'I'm fine' text to a worried Suga. God, he was gonna be so late. First time for everything, he supposed. At least he wouldn’t waste his time doing anything else… like… _asking for directions_ …

He had fully intended to continue on his path with a burning resolve. He could find his own way, surely, eventually. When he looked back up, however, the barista that had been waving at him had cracked open the glass door and was looking straight at him. Chikara took a step back, surprised.  

"Need a hand?" The barista chuckled.

"I'm fine," Chikara replied, defiant. "I'm just heading to a friend's house."

The other stepped out, closing the door behind him, then shoving his hands in his apron pockets. "And you're sure you know where that is?"

Chikara sighed. He was almost about to relent and just ask, get on with it, but his traitorous mouth answered before he could. "Of course I do."

The barista raised his eyebrows, "And does getting there involve walking down this street four times?"

"Wait, four times?" He thought it had only been three. Not that it made much of a difference. Was this guy counting? Talk about embarrassing…

The expression on the barista's face turned sheepish. He pulled a hand out to rub the back of his neck, "Yeah, y'know, just uh, people watching and happened to notice. It's not like I was staring at you or anything. Or watching you. That's weird."

Chikara blinked, fine with accepting that as an answer, but the guy kept going.

"Right? Like, I'm not weird or anything. And I don't want to creep you out. I wasn't watching you, I swear! It was just, I don't know, I'm rambling now but I think you're really pretty and I want to - oh fuck, shit, fuck me, nope, I'm gonna just like, shut up and go now. Bye."

True to his word, the barista hurriedly scuttled back indoors, hiding his rapidly reddening face in his hands. And Chikara had, by this point, completely forgotten why he was standing outside this coffee shop in the first place. With an admittedly ordinary face like his, the last thing he'd expected was to get hit on by anyone, but this ... this guy thought he was pretty? And he wanted to... he wanted to what?

"Um, w-wait," Chikara grabbed the door handle and pulled hard, in his haste not reading the sign, and upon realizing the door should be pushed instead, he kind of just... fell into the shop with a thud. And got hit by the door when it swung back. He groaned quietly. This was not his day.

Luckily, his misfortune did happen to catch the barista's attention, and in a heartbeat the young man was barreling towards him again, with a much too loud, "Christ, are you okay?!"

Chikara took the hand offered to get back up, trying to keep cool as to not embarrass himself further. "Fine, thanks, yeah, no, I'm really sorry." He said in one breath, and wanted to kick himself for how stupid it sounded.

"Why're you apologizing?" The barista leaned forward - finally, Chikara noticed his name tag, which read 'Tanaka', to give a name to this face - and examined his forehead. "You didn't get hit too hard, did you?"

"I'm fine," he muttered, now aware of the curious looks they were getting. He let go of Tanaka's hand and awkwardly tried to make space between them. The proximity had made him antsy, and contact had made him all too aware of how unwittingly attractive the barista actually was; bringing a whole new set of emotions Chikara did not feel like dealing with today. Or ever, frankly.

"Er, well, uh, come in, I guess," Tanaka said, adopting his awkwardness and increasing it tenfold. Then, seeming to regain his bearings and whatever professionalism he possessed, he asked, "So were you looking to eat in or take away?"

"I actually don't -" He started, but Tanaka was already steering him towards the bar counter.

"Let me get you something as compensation for you getting decked by our door," Tanaka interrupted with a breezy laugh. "It's on me, so get whatever, I don't care."

"Oh, no, really, I'm fine -"

"I insist," he stressed, patting Chikara on the shoulder. "It's also compensation for having to deal with my stupidity, and/or me making you uncomfortable. It's a work in progress, but my sis isn't always around to punch me when I do dumb shit so yeah."

"Uh," Chikara tried to find the words to protest but he couldn't do it without sounding like he hated the guy - which he didn't - so he admitted defeat. Just this once. "Okay, fine. You pick. Just give me something with caffeine."

"Roger that!" Tanaka trotted back over to the serving side of the counter, earning an annoyed grunt from the tall blond waiter stuck behind the cashier, and set to making ... whatever he was going to make, with boundless energy in his every movement.

Then Chikara, using an alarming amount of effort to pull his gaze away, looked down at his phone and remembered. Ah. He still had to get to Daichi's place eventually. That was a thing. That he had to do.

"Sorry," he whispered over the counter, as Tanaka turned back to look at him. "Could you make it to-go? I just remembered I need to get somewhere."

"A friend's house, right?" He grinned. "Sure you won't just end up getting lost again?"

"I wasn't lost." He replied with a huff, even though by this point, they both knew he was lying.

To prove his point, Tanaka only answered, over the whirring of the coffee machine: "Give me their address. I'll tell you how to get there, if I know. Otherwise, I'll ask Kei." He gestured with his head at the blond by the cashier. "Kid's a walking GPS, not even kidding. If he was pocket-sized and didn't have the personality of a salty lemon, I'd take him with me everywhere."

Chikara snorted, despite himself. He felt a little bad, really knowing nothing about Kei personally, but when Tanaka shot him a fond smile, he found he didn't really mind.

He sat in silence for a while, reassuring Suga over text that he was ‘really coming, just a little delayed’ and also ‘not dying in an alleyway, don’t worry’, before finally, finally looking back up at Tanaka. Not to, like, check him out or anything. Just because he was right there. And… rolled up sleeves were a good look on him. You know, just an observation.

The barista seemed perfectly content just doing his own thing, humming under his breath, but Chikara suddenly couldn’t stop thinking about the words _you’re really pretty._

So, honestly? If anything happened, it was all this guy’s fault. Full stop.  

Maybe he could start some casual conversation, he considered. Keep this chill atmosphere going?

"So uh... you work here?"

Great job, Chikara. A+. Ten out of ten. Of all the conversation starters, you had to pick that one. Incredible.

Tanaka, to his credit, just went along with it, though his voice betrayed his obvious amusement. "I most certainly do. And? How about you?"

"You're making fun of me." Chikara stated, utterly deadpan, and that set Tanaka off.

"I'm sorry!" The barista exclaimed through his laughter, "That was just - I don't know, I thought it was pretty obvious, considering I'm behind the counter, in uniform, and making you a drink?"

Chikara pulled his own hood over his head.

"No! No, don't hide, it's fine," Tanaka assured him, though he was still cackling. "It's cute that you tried. I'd be more worried if I didn't work here, and was pretending to serve you stolen coffee."

The brunet didn't budge, only pulled his hood further over his head. A paper cup was slid in front of him, a shaky smiley face drawn on the side.

"Cheer up?" Tanaka tried, laughter finally dying down. Chikara took a sip from his cup – a little surprised at the sweetness of it, but it was kind of nice – to avoid giving an answer, but Tanaka kept going anyway, "Hey, I fucked up, you fucked up, we both fucked up, it's a vicious cycle. Talk to me? I still don't have a name for you, babe. I mean, shit. Man. Bro. Dude. I don’t know your name."

"Ennoshita Chikara," he said softly. "That's my name."

"I love that name." The barista immediately replied, and Chikara peered up at him, frowning. "I'm serious," Tanaka added, when he saw the look he was being given. "It's a nice name. Kind of intense, actually."

"... thanks, I guess..." He took the cup in his hands, glad for the warmth but still feeling a little guilty for taking it. And Tanaka was being so nice to him, too. "How much is this? I'll pay you. I've got money."

"No," Tanaka said, hands on his hips. "Now where does your friend live?"

"Tanaka, seriously, I'll pay for it," he tried again, and at the sound of his name, the barista pressed his lips into a tight line.

"Nuh uh. Are you gonna tell me where they live or do I have to make a grab for your phone and take a good guess?"

Chikara's grip on his phone tightened. "No." He replied, "Just let me pay and I'll tell you."

"I paid already. No take backs."

"I will stuff money in your apron."

Tanaka gasped, tone teasing. "How daring of you."

Chikara felt his face flush at the implication but soldiered on. "I will do it. Don't test me."

"Can you stop arguing like a couple on their first date and get it over with already?" At the foreign voice, both of their heads snapped towards Tanaka's co-worker Kei, who had his arms crossed and eyebrows furrowed. "The sooner you sort yourselves out, the sooner I can push register duty on," Kei grimaced here, "Ryuunosuke, and the sooner I can leave."

"You called me by my first name!" Tanaka shed a proud tear, grabbing onto Chikara's shoulders and shaking him. "I'm so proud of this smartass, he finally learnt to call his brother by name!"

"Who are you calling whose brother?" Kei seethed, grumpily turning back to the customer waiting. A plastic smile crossed his face as he took the order, and Chikara held back a shudder. What an intimidating person... but, more importantly…

"Your first name is Ryuunosuke?"

Tanaka's attention diverted back to him, another smile tugging at his lips. "Sure is. Why?"

"Nothing. It's just... it's a cool name.” Heroic, he wanted to say, but didn’t know if that was out of line or not. “Kind of intense, actually."

Tanaka laughed, somewhat endeared by the echo of his previous words, letting his grip on him fall. The barista shoved his hands back into his pockets. "Thanks. You can call me that, if you like. I wouldn't mind. Well, use Ryuu, if you have to. Ryuunosuke is too formal. Kei uses it to piss me off." A playful glare was sent Kei's way, but is ignored in favor of Kei's all too fake conversation with his current customer.

After being told that, it was almost an obligation to use the name, so he did so, only a little cautiously. "Well then, Ryuu, if you would let me pay for my drink, I’ll tell you where I need to go.”

“Nope.” Apparently, in this contest of stubbornness, Ryuu was determined to win.

“It’s not that expensive, is it?”

“My coffee, my rules,” The barista concluded. “Now do you wanna be late or not?”

With an exasperated sigh, and also secretly planning to just slip money into the register or the other’s apron pocket - it really didn’t matter as long as it got somewhere - Chikara unlocked his phone and handed it over. “There you go. That’s the address.”

“Ohh!” Ryuu tipped his head to the side, fumbling with the phone wide-eyed. It took him a moment to clarify, but then he exclaimed, “That’s Daichi’s address! You know Daichi?”

“ _You_ know Daichi?”

“Everyone knows Daichi!”

“… apparently…”

“Actually, that’s really close,” the barista continued, “I could even walk you there.”

“Don’t you have a job to be doing…?”

“Kei, my buddy, my pal,” Ryuu sang, and Kei groaned.

“Whatever. Walk him. Leave me here. You’re pathetic, honestly. You could’ve grabbed him the second or third time he walked past, but no, you had to do your stupid pining and wait for him to come by again.”

At these words, Tanaka’s face flushed, but he didn’t deny it. Chikara felt his own cheeks redden, simply because of the choice word _pining._ Ryuu shook his fists at Kei. “S-shut up! It’s not like you could do any better!”

The blond scowled, but didn’t grace him with a proper response. “Just go already. I’ll be happier when you’re gone.”

Ryuu opened his mouth to argue, but then suddenly seemed to remember their audience. His hands found Chikara’s shoulder again.

“Oh, yeah, ignore him, he’s an ass. Hold on a sec, I’ll walk you.” He said it all very quickly, before darting back behind the counter and shucking off his apron. Then he disappeared momentarily into the back room, and Chikara assumed he was off tossing the garment into a corner somewhere. He seemed the type to just throw things around. The brunet wondered why he found that kind of cute.

“’Kay, let’s go.” On return, and in one swift movement, he was ushering Chikara out the door, “Before Daichi loses his head trying to figure out what’s keepin’ ya.”

“All right,” the brunet replied, fingers wrapped around his cup. “Thank you, seriously, you didn’t have to.”

Ryuu only grinned. “Course I did.”

* * *

 

The trip to Daichi’s really wasn’t that long, and Chikara felt kind of stupid, because he swore he had passed this apartment complex at least twice, but he figured he would just take what he could get. Maybe he was directionally challenged, after all. So what?

“We’re here!” Ryuu cheered, arms open, and in fact, had, unnecessarily, walked him all the way up to Daichi’s front door. And knocked for him, too. The door swung open with almost zero hesitation.

“Enno –“ Daichi started, before blinking and realizing he was facing Tanaka. “… why are _you_ here?” He asked bluntly, though it wasn’t intended to be rude.

“I’m an escort, today, don’t mind me,” Ryuu explained airily, gesturing to Chikara like he was delivering a parcel and the brunet was said parcel. “It took a few tries, but he got here in the end.”

Chikara blushed a little, at having revealed to Daichi that he had gotten lost, but thankfully, Daichi made no comment on it. He just looked from Chikara to Ryuu, and back.

“Huh.” Daichi said, almost thoughtfully. “Well, I’m glad you made it. Suga’s convinced you got kidnapped and were being held for ransom somewhere. I’d watch it, he’s gonna come any second now - ”

Suga came rushing over on cue, palm slapping down on Chikara’s head, mussing up his hair. “You should’ve told me you had a date! I would’ve just let you go, and we could’ve avoided all of this mess, and, oh my god, hello, if it isn’t Tanaka,” Suga’s other hand grabbed onto the barista’s head, “You and Ennoshita? Since when? Why don’t any of you tell me anything?”

Tanaka let his head get attacked, as he replied a touch nervously, “Er, no, um, we’re not…! We’re not together, like, _together_ -together. We just came together.”

“Nonsense,” Suga answered decisively, “You’re holding hands and everything.”

They both jumped, springing apart. Chikara hadn’t even _noticed_ , he had been so absent-minded, but Suga was right. They had, somehow, ended up holding hands, for whatever bizarre reason, and the brunet felt his face heating up all over again.

“Friends hold hands,” Ryuu explained quickly, and Chikara nodded, even though he personally thought the excuse was very weak. His heart, at the moment, was very weak, too. Next time he was headed somewhere he didn’t know the way to, he was taking his car.

“Aww, that’s no fun,” Suga said with a roll of his eyes, but let it go. “Come in, come in. We’ve been waiting. Are you coming in, Tanaka?”

The barista shook his head, “Gotta get back to work before Kei bites my head off.” He laughed. “But I’ll come visit soon, promise!”

It was Daichi that smiled this time, and gave him a firm nod. “Bring Tsukishima with you, too. It’s been a while since he’s come over. I think Suga’s cooking scared him off.”

“Hey!” Suga cut in, thwacking Daichi in the side. “No way. Don’t be rude. You’re wrong.”

“I’ll leave you guys to it,” Ryuu waved, moving to head back out. Chikara waved at him tentatively, and the barista grinned, waving back. “You too. I’ll see you again soon?”

“Maybe.” The brunet replied, returning the grin.

The door closed, and he was out of sight. With a soft sigh, Chikara turned to Suga, who was rubbing his hands together, looking at him knowingly.

“What?” He asked, unable to contain his curiosity.

Before he could get a proper answer, however, there was a loud knock at the door. Daichi sighed, and opened it again. Tanaka waved from the other side. Chikara felt his heart leap. God, he was so cute. What the hell. What was that? Did he just think that this guy was cute –? Not that he was wrong, but,  _Chikara, control your emotions_ - 

“Chi – er, Ennoshita!” He called, “C’mere a sec, I still have your phone!”

“Oh, uh, sorry,” Chikara headed over, trying not to seem too eager. He was hyperaware of Suga and Daichi’s eyes on him, and tried to keep his voice even. “Really, sorry, and thanks. For, um, getting me here and everything. And for the drink. And for, well, basically everything.”

Ryuu laughed, that loud, cheerful laugh of his, and pressed the phone into his free hand, fingers lingering for just a moment. “You really don’t have to thank me for anything. It was real nice meetin’ ya.”

“Yeah, um, you too.”

They stood in silence for a brief moment, when Suga stage-whispered, “ask him out!” to whom neither of them really knew, only to get bodily dragged away by Daichi.

“Well,” Ryuu cleared his throat, illusion broken. “Gotta head back to mister grumpypants, but y’know, drop by any time, all right? You’re perfectly welcome at the café. I work Mondays to Fridays, 9 to 5, take breaks at 11 to 12, and work late Thursdays.” He coughed again, louder this time. “Of course, not that it matters, or anything.”

Chikara smiled lightly, filing this information away for later use. “Of course,” he agreed, just for show. “Not that it matters.”

“Shut up,” Ryuu blurted, evidently embarrassed. “Just, on the off chance you’d wanna hang when I’m free…”

“I’d love to,” he said a little too quickly to be casual. He brought his cup back up to his lips to hide the fact that he was losing his composure once more. He could hear Suga snickering somewhere in the apartment, and it made him want to hit his head against something hard. It was bad enough when it was just the two of them…

“Right! Right. Well. I’d better go.” Ryuu threw a thumb over his shoulder, gesturing down the hall as he made his way back out. “Hit me up whenever, yeah? You know where I’m at.”  

“Yeah, definitely, sure, I will.” Ugh, bury him, why was he so excited? Why was he like this? Why did he want to just follow Tanaka out and spend the evening at the coffee shop with him? He needed… to get a hold of himself. This was just… all because the guy called him pretty? That couldn’t be it, right?

The door shut quietly this time, and as soon as the lock clicked shut, Daichi and Suga appeared back into the room with matching smiles on their faces.

“Don’t start,” Chikara said sharply, before a word could escape either of their mouths. “No. Whatever you’re thinking, the answer is no.”

“Check your phone,” Suga chirped, instead of surrendering his clearly suspicious thoughts.

Chikara looked down, realizing that his thumb was holding onto the button – Ryuu must have pressed it down so it was like that, now that he thought about it – and his lock screen was a blurry selfie of said barista, probably taken in the back room earlier. He had one message on the screen, from a contact he certainly did not have beforehand:

**♥Ryuu♥:** _Call me! xx_

The brunet stared for the shortest moment, before he flipped the phone over and gave Suga a slightly panicked look. Which would have been more effective if he wasn’t sure he was bright red in the face.

“It’s not – we’re not – I literally just met him today – “

Suga beamed. “I didn’t say anything.”

“No, Suga, I swear –“

“I didn’t say anything,” Suga repeated, strolling casually over to the kitchen counter as Daichi looked on amusedly.

Chikara turned to the other man, momentarily forgetting that Daichi hadn’t even _seen_ the text, and hence had made no solid assumption. “ _Daichi,_ it’s not what you think – “

“I didn’t say anything.” He chuckled, following Suga’s lead. “But for the record, I think you’d really work out together. If you like him, go for it. We’ll support you. Won’t we, Suga?”

Suga nodded at the sound of his name, mouth full of whatever he had stuffed into it. He swallowed it all in one gulp, before adding, “He’s clearly enamored by you. He hasn’t looked at someone like that since Kiyoko. I’m surprised he wasn’t following you around with roses in his hands.”

Chikara had no idea who Kiyoko was, but he felt strangely honored by these words. Even if they made him sweat.

“So, that aside,” Suga smiled mischievously. “When are you gonna call him?”

“Suga!” Chikara cried.

“What? I want all the details! I’m a needy gossip, Ennoshita, you can’t deprive me of this information,” He clambered over to mess up Chikara’s hair again.

“I – I’ll, tomorrow? Maybe? I don’t know, I just, I don’t know what I’m feeling right now, I’m kinda overwhelmed – “

“Suga,” Daichi came to the rescue. “Let them sort it out themselves. You can stand next to me when we tell them both ‘I told you so’.”

“Fine,” Suga conceded, but his gaze met Chikara’s with finality. “But you have to let me dress you for your first date.”

The brunet, flustered, half-shrugged half-crumpled, drinking his coffee as a distraction for the third time that day.

“Okay,” he mumbled in the end. “I promise.”

And, belatedly, he realized that making that promise meant that there  _had_ to be a first date, and he had to instigate it.

Much to his dismay, his stomach filled with butterflies just thinking about it. But, reasonably speaking, Tanaka had been good company, and had been good to him all day today, despite both their blunders. He felt a subconscious tug of his lips - a fond smile threatening to emerge just from the day's memories alone. Maybe it wasn't such a bad idea, actually...

When Daichi had successfully redirected Suga's attention, Chikara looked down thoughtfully at his phone and made the decision.

**Chikara:** _How do you feel about dinner?_

**♥Ryuu♥:**   _Thought you'd never ask._


End file.
